Martinsburg daily gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1887-1887, 1887-07-14
THURSDAY, JULY Il, 1881.
THE DRY GOODS TRADE.
HGATH0 INTERVIEWS THE MANAGER
or a RICH NEW YORK HOUSE.

0Ni6l TN GnVtGW0 ltlE mtAlNtt1En
or A RICH NEW YORK HOUSE.
Extracts from the Conversation OF Busi-
ness Man-America's SILK Trade-An Ex-
traordinary Growth-Broadc cloth s. RID
bons-Best months for Trade.
What is the greatest fact in the dry.
goods business?''
The greatest recent fact is the appro-
priation Of the silk trade by the Americans.
Nearly all the silks used are now made in
this country, whereas it was supposed pre-
posterous twenty years ago for the Ameri-
cans to undertake to weave silk. Not only
has this work been done by American
capital, but it has brought to the country
foreigners who had failed on the other
side of the ocean, and have replaced them
selves in wealth in this country. Here Is
the firm of =. One of the men in that
house came to me about fortnight ago
and said, while we were joking together:
do you know what am worth now?' He
then told me that he was worth $500, 900.
Now, about fifteen years ago he and his
family came to the United States bank
rupts from France. They commenced
UuSlIicSS III NEW 1OIh, WCdN1lI4 OllC
room, and If they had another room to
live in they were lucky. They went on
taking advantage of country where
everybody wants q silk dress, until they
have magnificent factory, and as they
never lost their French Bohemian charac-
teristics, they entertain good deal in the
openair and after their own fashion with
musicales and breakfasts"
ssHas the introduction OF silk into
American manufacture cheapened the
article?n
aOh my, yes. ] was looking over
bill we had against an estate recently.
Sometimes, when tt ere is large GUS
TONER or large fam ;ly in long relations
to the store, the accf unt Is allowed to run
over period Of VI ars, payments being
made on 1t from lime to time. called
the attention Of my associates to the prices
demanded for hat silk SO and 81 yard.
Now about the very highest silk we sell
s is 81 80 a yard. If anybody comes in and
goes above So for d silk, we open our eyes
and think the world is coming to an end.
In those old days SIS q yard WIS about the
average for d good silk. We sell black
silks for ninety cents yard, and they go
even lower than that.
What has caused the enormous con-
sumption of these silks?' ~.
1.-THE democratic habits and feeling OF
equality; every servant girl, every shop
girl, wants silk dress, and she wants to
walk in the street with it. Not even in
Lyons are ladies seen on the streets
wearing silks. So America supplies the
most magnificent market perhaps on the
globe for cheap silks, and New YORK. city
leads the country. The women here want
to be stylish.
do You now sell as much broadcloth
IS formerlyi'
mo. The only persons who buy
broadcloth suits now are those who want
to wear q cloth six years. Those old
fashioned people are very scarce. Light
figured, goods, such as the Americans
make or the French or the Germans and
English suit these times much better than
heavy. stiff broadcloths. Consequently,
the English broadclOth trade has suffered,
not from competition, for they still do
about all there is Of it. u has been cut
down BY want Qf consumption Inc
Americans wear checks, figures, mixed
goods, which are not expected TO last more
than d year. -.
CHOW do you divide the dry goods busi.
nees in relative Importance OF branches!''
uAt the head is the silk department
Next come dress goods. Finally we put
bonsekeeping goods, such az tablecloths,
Anankina blankets. silk still being about
the ghighest iii price and the most "a de-
mand makes the aggregate of sales lnisnas
department the highestsp
q. =